


Strange Bed Fellows

by Theonewhosawitall



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: All's fair in love and war, Angst, Best read at 2 am, Bittersweet, Cuddling & Snuggling, Jealousy, Late Night Conversations, M/M, Minor "Trapper" John McIntyre/Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, Minor B.J. Hunnicut/Peggy Hunnicut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29254383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall
Summary: When no one else is around and there's no chance of being found and questioned, BJ and Hawkeye can sleep in the same cot.
Relationships: B. J. Hunnicutt/Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Strange Bed Fellows

The trouble with quiet nights was the same as the blessings. Charles was away to observe and annoy another M*A*S*H Unit, so his snoring wasn’t around to disturb. There was no artillery in the area so there was little chance of a raid or a casualty coming by to interrupt. Not one person was going to step foot in the swamp but Hawkeye and BJ. Which meant that, for tonight at least, they could share BJ's cot.

It was deeply uncomfortable. Neither could fully fit into the middle of the metal bars either side of the canvas. Instead they ended up on top of the bars, slouching into the canvas. But with BJ's arm around him holding him close to stop him falling off the cot, Hawkeye was still precariously close to falling in love. Which filled his head with daring dreams and curious thoughts that could never be anything more than just that.

Although in the low light of the guards lanterns outside, he could see the outline of BJ's face as he slept. The slope of his nose and the fuzz of his moustache being buzzed by his calm breathe... even though this place was nothing but a nightmare, he looked like a dream.

"Beej?" Hawkeye whispered quietly.

BJ forced his eyelids back open as much as he could, even though the weight of the world was crashing them shut again already.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think..." Hawkeye drew circles on BJ's chest as he spoke, because even though he knew the answer he couldn’t stop himself from asking, "if this was another time... another place... would we still be us?"

"Us? Like us you and me or us me and you?" BJ snickered.

"Us, both of us. Together," Hawkeye said pointedly.

"That depends. In this other time, other place, does Peggy exist?" BJ asked.

Hawkeye's heart thumped. He could hear BJ's from here so he knew he must have felt it too. Even so he tried to sound casual.

"Uh, yeah, yeah."

"Did I meet you or her first?"

"Her."

There was a silence that went on just a beat too long. BJ didn’t even breathe during it. Hawkeye got the message loud and clear. Even though he expected it, it still hurt.

"Ah."

Instinctively Hawkeye shifted to try and pull away but BJ gripped him a little tighter to hold him closer so he couldn’t let go. Hawkeye tensed. He didn’t want to make a fuss and draw any attention to them. The only two who would turn up were either Radar or Klinger. Both would just assume they were fooling around again and roll their eyes. Maybe offer a quick jape about children and sharing. They wouldn’t _understand._

Hawkeye didn’t want them to understand. As stupid and fleeting and impossible as this was, it was all his. His and BJ's. It wasn't government issued and it wasn’t bartered for and it wasn't khaki. It was theirs. Private and personal and secret. So he quietly laid back down.

"I'm sorry Hawk. I love you, I do, but... I'm married," BJ insisted, painfully. "I told you, Peggy is it for me, she's my one."

"Yeah, yeah I know..." Hawkeye muttered.

Because he did know. He had always known. Even since clean shaved baby faced BJ Hunnicut had walked into his life two things were clear. He was endlessly devoted to his wife, and he was someone Hawkeye was going to struggle to live without. So he tried to shrug it off as though he had only been joking and gave a dramatic sigh.

"Then I guess I'll just have to marry Trapper instead."

BJ tensed. Hawkeye felt guilty instantly. He had cared for Trapper, of course he had cared for Trapper, but it wasn't like this. They were best friends. Brothers. BJ was more than that. And he knew he shouldn’t use Trapper against him. It was unfair. But all was fair in love and war.

"Trapper huh?" BJ gritted his teeth, "Good old Trapper John. So in love he didn’t even say goodbye."

Hawkeye scowled defensively, "He tried to call! It was my fault-"

BJ yanked his arm back from around Hawkeye to fold his arms and huff, "Why are we suddenly talking about Trapper?!"

"Why are we always talking about Peg?!" Hawkeye bit back.

BJ sat up and the light illuminated his frown so Hawkeye stayed laying down and hoped that the shadows wouldn't reveal how much regret was on his face.

"Hawkeye-"

"Alright, I know I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything, I take it back."

He grumbled it into the canvas, but BJ knew he meant it. That hurt him more. If BJ could have given Hawkeye everything he wanted he would have then and there.

Here he could build a life with him. They could walk side by side like conjoined twins that had chosen to never be separated. They could go to dinner at Rosie's or the mess tent and pretend it was a fine restaurant back home. Hell they could call up Adam's Ribs and actually _have_ a decent meal from home for once. They could walk in the fields together, hand in hand, and say it was for defence so they would pay more attention on hidden mines. They could even take in orphans from down the road and spend their time pretending to be parents together.

They could share a house, a bed, an existence, they could claim to be married for all anyone here cared.

But as soon as peace came and they went home, that was it.

They had a life before Korea and that life would continue afterwards. Assuming they both made it home that is. And they may never see each other again once they did. People back there would talk if they acted like this. They didn't understand that war made for strange bed fellows.

BJ's fingers brushed gently through Hawkeye's hair, tangling into as much of him as possible. "Hawk... another time... another place... if I met you first..."

BJ sighed. It was like his grandmother had always told him. If 'if' and 'buts' were candy and nuts we'd all have a merry Christmas. He didn't want to think about what if anymore. All he had was right here and right now. For all they knew they wouldn't even see tomorrow. They just had to cling to what little they had and make it enough. That's what BJ did as he wrapped his arms around Hawkeye again.

"I hate everything about this place," Hawkeye sighed into BJ's shirt. "Every part of it. And I hate that it brought you and me together if there's no way we can stay together. I hope this all ends soon."

"I do too," BJ sighed. "All of it... except this."

"Yeah... Me too."


End file.
